Michael's Dundy Day
by The REAL FanFic Contributor
Summary: It's that time of year for a birthday to be celebrated and Michael couldn't be any giddier. He is determined to make the birthday a celebration that is fun for everyone, the only problem is, Michael as well as the other employees have no idea whose birthday it is. Nevertheless, Michael will go as far as he can to make things enjoyable, but will that be too much?
1. Today's a Dundy Day

_Alright, first installment of my story with the T.V. series, The Office. By the way, this is set up around season 5 or 6, but excluding Pam's pregnancy. Not cause I don't like that, It's just not the most important thing in this fic. So, yeah, I hope you read it and keep reading it until the end. By the way, even though the rating is T, doesn't necessarily mean it's very bad. Just saying. _**Disclaimer_: I do not own the Office, its rights to episodes, or the characters. This is just a fun idea I had for a potential episode. Please enjoy! :)_**

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Michael's Dundy Day

It was going to be a good day. Michael could just feel it in the pit of his gut, or was that upset stomach from all those pizzas last night? Michael shrugged the thought away and bore a broad smile as he pulled his convertible into the Scranton building parking lot, top proudly down with the confidence of a cloudless sky and the bumper of his car unknowingly running over a tiny mouse. With even more glee from his obliviousness, he skipped out of the car, taking in a large whiff of the air (which was contaminated with a nasty smell from the dumpsters near by.) and eagerly strolled up to the office doors, but was stopped by the curious cameras pressing on to him.

This didn't annoy Michael, in fact, he delivered a pleased smile and spoke on his own terms, "do you see why this very handsome man has a smile on his face? Well, it is because of this day, this glorious day that we are going into."

The camera exchanged a look with another camera and rushed close to Michael when he entered the building. Everything felt right around Michael the moment his astonishingly polished shoes stepped on to the beige floors (actually, it was dust layered over white concrete, since nobody bothers to clean it). Everything felt worth the while, so when he glanced towards the mini café on the floor he was in, he hopped up to Hank and ordered one pound of plain vanilla cake. Hank's response was the same; dull with a pinch of despise. The smile still on Michael's face pushed him to fulfill the order and Michael swiveled back to the camera.

"Honestly, ever since I woke up today, a wonderful feeling of something good just sparked inside of me, the thing is, I have no idea what's the special thing," Michael admitted, still feeling excited. All of a sudden, Michael turned back to the counter where Hank placed his order for just a moment to crunch the numbers, and he deliberately groped the cake, ignoring utensils or plates and even by passing Hank's shocked expression for receiving no money for it. Michael went the extra mile, not wanting to drag the hop in his step and took the stairs speedily.

No words proceeded from Michael as he was stuffing his face with cake that he occasionally gagged at and the cameras began to grow awkward. After being unable to take it no longer, the main camera aimed at Michael inhaled to speak, but then Michael jumped around, cake clogging his speech and even flying to the camera lens. "I love the feeling I have, just look, I'm eating this cake and, gah-... it taste horrible!" He gagged mightily, but kept hiking upward anyway, "I just really want to know why today is heavily loaded with happiness, like a full diaper that spreads joy instead of stink."

He sprung up the final step while also tossing the cake lump to the floor and suddenly sidled on the walls towards the office door. He peeked around the clear surface and spotted Erin taking a call and glimpses of the other office members simply at work. They had no idea an intriguing adventure was on the rise once Michael burst through the door, "hello everybody!"

Everyone's eyes flew to Michael (except for Stanley, whose mind was locked in the world of cross puzzles and tasteless coffee.) who was so excited, he could only produce a smile that soon burst into a laugh. No one was catching on to Michael's happiness and his grin started to fade away after looking over the faces of his workers.

"Well?" Michael finally questioned, raising more eyebrows, "aren't you guys excited?"

Still, more silence and more question marks and Jim fiddled with a pen in his fingers, "I try not asking this question, but why should we be excited?"

"'Cause!" was his enthusiastic answer, his lip starting to quiver and his arms flying to his sides, "you guys know what! It's that special time of the year!"

Even Michael was beginning to bemuse himself, but with chatter growing amongst the workers upon the special thing, Pam stood up and approached Michael with the answer, "um, Michael, I think we've all realized now what the special occurrence is, but I've told you several times not to say it in public."

"What are you talking about?" Jim bit his lip at this. With Michael, anything as inappropriate as making love in an awkward spot wouldn't pass by him with out announcing it first.

Pam lowered her eyes nervously, looking back at the others for support. All she got were eyes darting to every corner of the office with no clue of what to do. She sighed, wondering why it's always her to have to say these things and inched to him, "look Michael... you can't enlarge your... you know what so the chances of making a family while also experiencing the joys of-"

"Oh, no, no Pam, that's not the news!" Michael groaned in disgust and Pam sat back to her desk awkwardly, "besides, It's naturally big enough for twice the enjoyment (Angela rolled her eyes at this from above the accounting wall).

"No, no seriously, guys, guess the good news for today!" he tried again with more energy, now officially wrapping in the whole office's attention by getting into their minds and making them ponder.

"Oh, I think I know," Phyllis piped up in her usual, motherly voice and Michael raised his eyebrows attentively, "today's the day you decide who you were going to give a bonus to. If I'm not mistaken, you were considering me."

"Oh..." Michael worded, attempting to remember what happened just the day before. Suddenly, Michael reached into his pocket, taking out a check book and writing down a fabulous amount of cash inside. "I think you're right, here's your bonus. Sorry Phyllis."

"No Michael, don't listen to her!" Dwight hollered and snatched the check from his loose finger tips, making the bother of throwing it away for Michael easier by pocketing it in his mustard shirt, "you know how Phyllis is, the woman lies. The real reason today is so great is because the country famous beet parade is being hosted just near Schrute farms and you have finally acknowledged that, allowing the two of us to hang out.

"We'd better get going now before it gets crowded," Dwight resumed, rummaging through his drawers for his car keys, but this conversation turned to mostly himself and Michael dropped his jaw in atrocious.

"No, Dwight, I can say with confidence that that's not why I'm so happy today," attention turned to the others, but Dwight became visibly upset by this and slowly slumped back to his chair. "Okay people, keep getting the ball rolling, we're getting close."

"Um," a soft sound that was barely picked up, Angela still lifted a fragile hand up anyway while keeping a stiff face and remarked, "could it possibly be annual kitten day."

"No, no, I wouldn't get excited for that," mumbled Michael. What a waste, since Angela had her scruffy cat, Bandit, tucked underneath her thin arms.

"Hey, boss man!" Andy called out with a curled hand to the ceiling.

"Yes, Andy?" He acknowledged, but by the goofy smile on Andy's face, he scrunched his face in regret.

"Today's that one special day where we gain dozens of new, loyal costumers, all thanks to me," Andy pitched with pride, although with a cracked smile around the end, one could assume that he played this as a joke.

Michael stifled a chortle at this, "come on Andy, let's get real."

Even though he was right, Andy bit his lower lip painfully, angry at himself for being so ignorant by having to choke down what he foolishly served up. Just then, Kelly stepped out of the kitchen, looking over some files delivered from the annex while being completely oblivious to the arousing news displayed in the main office. "Ah, Kelly, good, maybe you can help," Michael threw his hand out in Kelly's direction and a discomforting feeling stirred in nearly everyone's stomachs, "is there any Hindu holiday that's going on today or sometime this month? You Indians just love to get crazy. Oh, black awareness day? Eh, Stanley."

Stanley slowly looked up at Michael, grunted disapproval, then returned to his nearly finished crossword puzzle. Being more subjected to insults, Kelly folded her arms over her chest after flinging the files aside, "you know what Michael, sometimes you push it, and like a quote I live by once said: (Well, this part's a little inappropriate. Let's just say that Kelly said something that one should never say to a boss, leaving jaws hanging and exiting the room with a flip of the finger.)"

Michael was left speechless from the comment, so were the co-workers, but Michael eventually patted his cheeks to get back into the mind frame and said just as excitedly moments ago, "alright people, let's just forget about that and keep going. Come on, tell me more, what's so exciting!?"

"That's alright guys, we give up," Jim brusquely declared finally, shooting up from his seat and extending his arms out to the co-workers, "Michael, why don't you just tell us what the news is?"

Instantly, Michael bit his lip, eyes glazed over and his face blank. Jim continued to stare at Michael, the announcement not escaping him so Jim sighed after much consideration. "You don't know what the good news is, do you," Jim stated rather than asked. Without having to receive in answer, the wavering features on Michael's face had made the situation blatantly clear.

With the silent tension intensifying, the other workers were soaking in the obvious and Michael finally gave in, "okay, fine I don't know what it is."

Like a chorus, everyone groaned loudly and Michael shook his head, "even though I don't know what it is, I have this very strong feeling that there are big things to come today."

"Oh, do you mean like that one time where you were determined to score a date with a lady you met online, but it turned out to be a guy who was attracted to you?" Kevin exaggerated with large facial movements, ending the question with a stifled 'gross' and giggling, completely missing Oscar's offended pout.

"Nope, nope, it's nothing like that Kevin," Michael retorted, clenching his fists and teeth. He shook his head violently, now having enough of their ignorance, now piled with insolence. Michael spun around to Erin who had kept her lips sealed the entire time... surprisingly, "okay, I've had enough. Erin, you are the one who is on top of events, tell me, what special occurrence is going on today."

With out an air of hesitation, Erin dug through her drawer until she gripped a calendar, flipping it to the current month. Erin analyzed the page swiftly, then tucked a lock of her auburn hair, "well, according to this calendar... today's a birthday day."

Suddenly, the mood was lifted with a breath of realization and workers nodded in comprehension. Michael spread a toothy smile and Erin giggled light-heartedly as he clutched the ridge of her desk and turned to face everyone else, "ah, finally, the truth comes out, see I knew there was something eventful today!

"Alright, alright, so whose birthday is it today?" Michael asked sweetly with a clap of his hands. The other workers were smiling contently, gazing over the others to see who would fess up. Again, the squeamish sound of silence was all that was delivered and people's smiles erased. "Come on..." Michael tried again, always maintaining that jovial attitude and eyeing every single person. "Whose birthday is it?"

The citizens of the office began to shoot interested and or glares at others. No question about it, birthday parties in the office can actually be quite enjoyable (You know, as long as it's not Toby's birthday), so why not proudly admit the occasion?

"Come on," Erin said brightly, waving the calendar in the air, "it's says birthday, so don't be shy and let us know."

"Yeah, whose birthday is it?" Kevin jumped from his seat, his voice booming with slight irritation, "the sooner we know, the faster we get cake!"

Michael arched backwards, his palms exposed, his shoulders cocked and his face begging for an answer, but with still no luck (shocker.), Michael groaned heavily and swiveled back to Erin, "um, does it say the name of the person?"

Erin squinted her eyes back on today's date, then her lips pursed and twitched. She grew coy under Michael's watchful eye, but gradually rested her eyes to his, "it doesn't say, it was erased."

He didn't want to make things so dramatic, but he was genuinely shocked that no one wanted to come forward. It's a party, that's fun! Michael cracked his head to the side, frustration pumping inside and he lunged himself back to the crowd, a determined twinkle in his eye, "okay, so apparently, we have someone in the office who doesn't want to admit that it's their birthday today. I don't see why, I would be there (Pam glimpsed a concerned look to the camera. That's probably the reason why no one will talk).

"It's alright everyone, just tell me who is the one. You don't have to be so afraid," Michael urged almost forcefully. The office goers continually shared glances, others like Pam biting her nail or Stanley paying no attention what so ever. Michael lowered his lids and puffed out his bottom lip, "you know what, I'm getting sick and tired of reading 'the workers were quiet, exchanging glances' crap. Someone needs to just tell me who is turning an age, you can even do it in private, either way, I will be slaving over the party until you say otherwise."

"Um, Michael, I don't think that's necessary," most of the workers sputtered in their own times, but Michael whipped his arms around and moaned.

"Nope, that's my decision, that's all that we'll be doing today-"

"But Michael, some of us have important sales and clients to get to," a wave of objections lapped at his feet, but Michael blocked their "indifference" with noisy, pitchy singing and jogged to his office with a loud slam behind him, silencing everyone.

The batch of unlikely co-workers all individually looked at one another with either confusion or annoyance. Glares soon faded to an expression akin to being lost and Jim looked up at the camera.

* * *

"Well, to be brutally honest... I don't think Michael has it right," Jim had told the cameras after being whisked away to a private interview. Choosing Jim to be the voice of all the office goers seemed smart since he was the one who seemed to comprehend the most. Secretly, as Jim twirled the blue pen in his fingers, he was actually befuddled as well as enticed by this news. At first thought, it really isn't something to center your whole day on, which is what Michael will be doing, but after going over it a second time, you start to realize that this could be a fun experience. You know, if you're anything like Jim.

Jim suddenly ceased his twirling, catching the pen in his fist awkwardly and biting his lower lip, "in reality, things feel like it will be a downwards spiral of nothing good... which is why I'm so interested."

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Michael was sitting at his desk, tapping the floor and the desk feverishly. The camera's zoomed in carefully on his shaking posture until he threw his head up and slammed the desk, "I-I can't believe no one wants to confess that it's their birthday. I can't mentally grasp why they wouldn't."

Michael started becoming distracted by his little trinkets on his desk and continued in muse, "birthdays in the office are, like, the funest thing other than Christmas, New Years... shot parties! I just... don't understand, but oh well. If this certain person doesn't want to come forward, I, Michael G. Scott will personally fabricate their party into the best one ever, because today will be a good day. I swear it!"

Michael then ended his speech with an animated smile and the cameras eventually nodded and snapped it off with his positivity still hanging in the air. Will it stay there long, though? The cameras weren't so sure, but whatever the outcome, they were thrilled to capture it.

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_Well, that was the first chapter, and I must admit, I don't really like how it turned out. For starters, it is one of the shortest chapters I've written so far. Honestly, I had planned on making other stories before this one, but then I really felt I should write a story with Michael since he is such a memorable character. I also wanted to write another story fast so I randomly came up with this plot that I have no idea if it will either be exceptional, or a train-wreck. If you don't like it, please bare with me since the other chapters will be better (for some reason, I have thought the middle and end of the story more thoroughly). Also, please don't forget to review, it would mean a lot since this is my first Office story... with Michael. :_|


	2. Here's the Deal

_Okay, hi, and welcome to chapter 2 of this little random story. For those who read this, you should really read the first chapter then hang on, because trust me, it will get better._ **Disclaimer: I do not own the properties of The Office or its characters. I just enjoy writing fan fiction for it. :)**

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Michael's Dundy Day

He had balloons laced around his wrists, party hats resting loosely on his head or hanging from his neck, and bags and bags of birthday supplies gripped in each hand. Along with his radiant smile, Michael strolled from his car after spending half of the day birthday shopping and was making his way back to the building Even with the heaviness of the bags and the dent in his wallet, Michael didn't allow the fact that his workers didn't contribute. He kept his head bent high, because even his closest friends not following along could break him down. He galloped inside to the powerful blast of air to the face and this time skipped a conversation with Hank, taking the elevator and twirling inside.

Hastily, the cameras bustled into the elevator just before the doors slid shut and heaved as the lens rested on Michael's glowing demeanor. For a long moment of elevator music, Michael stared up at the ceiling until his eyes wandered down and he finally seemed to notice the cameras.

"Oh, howdy hi there," he greeted with spirit and attempted to wave his hand, but the weighted bags pulled back. "I just came back from the party store with (shaking bags.) these little babies to celebrate the wonderful occasion. So, yeah, you know the story, today is someone's birthday, however, this certain someone isn't making a big deal out of it. It doesn't matter though, I've got everything we need and today will be perfect... dandy... dundy, yeah, today will be a dundy day... I could market that. What were we talking about? Oh, right, my gut feelings **never** deny me, not even when I thought one of our clients were from the mafia... because he was suspicious."

Luckily for them all, the elevator stopped at its destination and Michael dashed out, throwing open the office door and frolicking up to Erin's desk. "Oh hi," she barely got to say as Michael piled up the bags into her arms. Now, all the office goers were staring at Michael and he came forward with his arms out.

"I am back!" He announced happily and collected the party hats from his neck, leaving a few out on Erin's desk, "and I have come with birthday supplies, and do you guys all know why?"

"Um, Michael," Pam whispered in concern, "you still can't be on that whole "birthday mission" thing... we still don't know."

Michael widened his eyes, "what!? I ordered you guys to ask around."

"No you didn't," Jim piped up, typing in a few letters on his computer and punching send, "you just said, "hey, I'm off to go buy birthday stuff and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"."

Michael's mouth grew dry, "well, I thought it was pretty clear."

"So when did work stop being important?" Jim shot back, but Michael shooed a hand in his direction.

"Look people, as your superior, you should do what I mentally or physically tell you," Michael declared, but he only got rolled eyes. Michael reached over and picked up a party hat by the tip, "and that's to help me with this celebration by contributing."

With that, Michael tapped the party hat on his head and strapped the other on Erin's. She giggled her bubbly personality as she accepted it and wordlessly began shifting the bags when Michael turned around. Michael grinned giddily and attempted to place a party hat on Jim (it turned out lopsided). Jim gave one glance to the camera and Michael stood back.

"Won't this be so much fun!" Michael exuded to no one in particular and started groping the bags, "come on Erin, you are going to help me set up this party, because it will be great, and the birthday worker will be so blown away, whoever they may be."

Erin picked up most of the bags and followed closely behind as Michael led the way to the conference room, and with no protest from the others (since they really had no idea what to say.), Michael waved them goodbye and closed the door gently shut. Again, everyone was confused by the "birthday situation", but the more Michael injected himself in this interesting day, the more they became intrigued.

Jim had thought this whole thing over and quickly got up, not uttering a noise as he walked to the conference door, asking politely for Michael to visit him in his office, and then they both sauntered over there with a silent door close. The other works exchanged looks, some returning to work and some keeping their ears perked to listen in on their conversation.

Michael took a light seat on his chair and Jim traced his lips with his finger, "so, you are really into this whole birthday craze, huh?"

Astonishingly, Michael pulled a very serious face and he scoffed, "duh, it's a workers birthday, I **have **to do this."

"Yeah, I know, but you don't know whose birthday it is," Jim explained, running his hand through his hair, roaming off to the back of his neck, "and no one has said anything. Has it crossed your mind that maybe this particular person doesn't want to spend their birthday here?"

Michael's eyes grew wide and he opened his mouth, "oh my gosh... is it you, are you trying to tell me something Jim?"

Jim was taken aback instantly and cracked an awkward smile, "no, no Michael, it's definitely not me... you know I would love to party."

"Then who could it be?"

"No Michael, you're missing the point," Jim breathed in frustration and clasped his hands to his mouth, "it's _because_ we don't know whose birthday it is that we shouldn't divulge our time into it. We need to get to work."

"Jim, I know work is important, all of a sudden, but you need to understand that occasions such as these don't come around often," Michael explained to him, nodding his head as if he were in a negotiation, "haven't you ever wanted to crack a clue?"

Jim bit back his words and furrowed his eyebrows as an enticing blush crept over his features. It's true, Jim is one to to go on adventures, usually it's prank adventures, but mystery adventures are a new take to open new opportunities. He looked down at Michael shyly, "yeah... but... do we have a lot of work to do today?"

Immediately, Michael stifled a chuckle, but Jim snapped back, "be honest, I don't want to waste my day."

"Okay," Michael controlled himself and opened a drawer, fingering through today's duties' files. Quickly, Michael scanned through the document and snapped the folder closed, having the inability to hide his smile.

Jim bobbed his head in comprehension, but then cleared his thoughts. _Look Jim, buddy, I know you'd love to skip work for a day to mess around, _although this was beyond the norm, Jim found himself being coached by his conscious on his options, _but you need to think to yourself if this is the most important thing to do. If you're still unsure, you should know that your job provides you with money to supply to you and Pam. Plus, it gives you education and life skills... yeah you're right, working would be stupid, you might as well slack off and pretend to try then sit at a computer all day with the chances of getting carpal tunnel._

Jim nodded his head, spreading his lips into his signature half smile and gave himself a mental high five. "Alright Michael, you've got yourself a deal," Jim answered professionally and Michael opened his mouth in a silent squeal, "but because you are taking me away from my precious office time, I would require a bonus as well as three days of vacation for my hard work of sleuthing."

He was reluctant of this at first, but eventually, the urge to party kicked in and Michael stood up and extended out his hand, "you got it Halpert."

A firm handshake and smiles parted their ways and Jim wordlessly sauntered to his seat and his screen flashed by a click of a button to Solitaire. Pam continually glimpsed to Jim and knew something was up. "Hey," she started calmly with just enough mixture of sweetness, "what did you talk to Michael about?"

"Probably nothing important, so don't bother, Pam," Dwight piped in, keeping his eyes on some documents.

"Actually, it was important, just not enough to invite you in," Jim retorted casually, then leaned his head forward passed Dwight's mixed angry and jealous reaction, "I just talked to him about the whole party thing."

"Is he going to stop?" She asked with more interest and set a stack of papers aside.

"Nah, I told him he's in charge of his own decisions, and he could do it if he wanted to, so he is," replied Jim, and he clicked a button to refresh his game.

"What? Jim, he need to be told to stop, we need to work," Pam said back sternly, although she wasn't really sure why she was so keen on getting her job done.

"Yeah," Jim responded in muse while his eyes were glued to his computer screen and he clicked the mouse madly, "we."

Almost instantly, Pam arched in eyebrow in suspicion and Jim delivered a side smile. Just then, Michael exited his office and reentered the conference room with all the party supplies spread over the table. She made one last glance towards Jim before standing up, patting down her shirt too, and walked into the conference room.

"Hey Michael," she greeted softly while Michael was messing around with Erin with the party hats.

"Oh, hey Pammy!" Michael beamed and motioned Erin to stop. "You here to help us out?"

"Um, no, well actually Michael," Pam bit her lip, but not for insecurity. She hated so badly how she didn't seem on top of this, dang mumbling! Pam took a breath and flattened out her blouse, "I know Jim let you go on with this, but I don't think you should, it takes up our work time."

A loud groan escaped his mouth and he stomped over to her, "Pam, please don't have one of your bossy moments. I've already been told that, and if you're just saying all of this because you want a raise and vacation days like Jim, then so be it."

"No, Michael, I was..." Pam started, but realization hit her like a brick wall, "w-wait, you gave Jim a raise and vacation days... just for him?"

"Yeah, he asked for it so I could continue."

Pam sucked in her cheeks, becoming almost instantaneously drowned into contemplation. _Listen, honey, it's no secret that you love a good adventure, and this party admittedly opens to one, _as absurd as coaching yourself in your own thoughts was, Pam found herself shaking her head to hear more, _but you have to understand that this job of yours is important. It benefited you more than your other options the first time you chose it, and if you don't go on with- you know what, this is bull crap! Just accept the money and vacation and get on with your free day!_

Akin to devilish, Pam smiled to herself and came forward, "alright, I'll let you go on and I'll take your offer... everything will be all good."

"Yay!" Erin cheered from behind, getting tangled in party string and Michael beamed.

"Thank you so very much, Pam, but uh, do you think you could do me a favor?"

Pam blinked slowly. Just like Jim, she had planned on abandoning her work to slack off for the whole day, so this conversation was already dragging her down. "Yes?" the word oozed from her colored coral lips and Pam twitched slightly in regret.

"Do you think you can announce the party to everyone, you know, tell them that they need to admit the truth so we can actually celebrate? It'll be a kick!" Was his energetic request and Pam gave him one lingering look before giving an honest nod and walking out.

She closed the door softly behind her then swiveled around and bared her teeth in a smile. "Hi everyone," Pam felt no love in this room as her co-workes lazily glanced at her with drooping eyes and rumbling sneers. Pam's lips started to quiver over her teeth and she cleared her throat. "So, I just spoke with Michael and he is content to continue this birthday party and he hopes you'll contribute."

Groans echoed the room followed with eye rolls and pens dropping to desks. Pam threw out her arms in front of her, "no, no, see, I had a feeling you would do that."

Jim was struggling to take his eyes away from his gripping game of cards, so Pam was really feeling like a fish out of water to convince these people. "Michael is completely aware of our work, but for some reason, this birthday party means more than that to him, and if no one will say anything, then he'll just keep bothering us."

"What do you mean, he always bothers us," Stanley commented dully.

"I-I know, but Michael enjoys partying and he spent a lot of money on the supplies, partly from our paychecks no less, and-"

"Whoa, whoa, he used our money?" Oscar repeated in disbelief.

"Yes, so that gives you a reason to help out!" Pam smiled and the others grunted. She wouldn't blame them, though. For most, that's their pizza money!

"You're telling us that he's stealing our payments to force us to do something as tedious as a weakly planned party?" Angela shot up from her chair, crossing her petit arms and arching her eyebrows. "I can't believe you seriously find that acceptable, Pam. Jim, how could you marry someone like that?"

"It was love at first sight, it is unconditional... this situation has no effect on me," Jim mused with all his thoughts centered on his game. As much as he hated waiting on chess, he found it suddenly entertaining when it was on a small screen.

Even though the answer was inadequate, Pam let it slide and gestured to him, "exactly, now no, Michael isn't trying to take advantage of you, he just wants you to help, is that so much to ask?"

"Yes, if he's taking what we come here for, then we should get revenge for it by not helping out at all," Dwight answered nonchalantly and kicked his feet up to his desk.

"Yeah, I agree with Dwight," Phyllis added.

Pam's eyes darted around the room as she pursed her lips and shuffled her feet. Now she knew how Michael felt when people didn't want to listen to him, and she's not going to lie, the feeling is so disturbing. "Look people, if you at least help in any way..." Pam paused mid sentence and crunched her fists. Her mind racked with what she could possibly say, because she had nothing in mind, but it sounded like she was going on the track of proposition. Most of the worker were already losing interest, so Pam thought of the first thing possible and thrusted a finger to the ceiling. "Michael will promise you a raise as well as vacation days!"

That was the hook, line and sinker. All the co-workers snapped their heads in Pam's direction, their eyes sparkling, all pleasure crazy. Jim on the other hand, snapped up his head for a whole other reason. Pam was carrying on a pretty big stretch here, and Jim didn't know whether to stop this before it goes far, or to be amused by it secretly and resume a game of computer Pac-man... _eh, I'm already at my computer... Pam will be able to figure it out herself._

The co-workers were still in a state of shock. A raise and vacation days! Yee-haw, that's one of the best news they've heard in the office! "Wait, so the boss man really said he would give us all that stuff?" Andy asked for all the office goers with genuine curiosity and Pam began to waver.

"Ugh, well yeah, but you have to actually participate all the way to earn the prize," she explained shakily, but the workers nodded and cheered and bought it like a bargin. She locked her fingers clumsily. She assured herself that it wouldn't hurt her fellow friends if she was being partially true. There is a prize, but they don't know it has already been won, and that's alright.

Just at that moment, Michael stepped out of the conference room with Erin close behind. "What's, uh, going on here?" he questioned curiously. With everyone glued to their computers still and Pam appearing to take the charge, Michael couldn't help the intrigue swelling inside of him.

"Hello Michael!" Phyllis greeted sweetly along with a meshed chorus of compliments. Michael's mouth was agape and he accepted these with subtle waves.

"Wow, you guys are all in a happy mood! Does that mean you're going to help me?"

"Of course, of course!" They all cheered mightily and Michael broke in a laugh. "Yeah, for sure!" Andy ended, carrying on the enthusiasm with what was on everyone's minds, "we wouldn't be able to turn down an epic prize!"

He chuckled and Pam cringed. "Prize?" Michael was puzzled oblivious, but so were the workers and Pam saved the spot and touched his shoulder.

"It's nothing Michael, just the honor of getting to crack this birthday mystery," Michael took a moment to soak that in as the others sprouted question marks that Pam settled down with facial expressions. Being a natural pranker/deceiver (and having been influenced by Jim a lot, though she doesn't like to think so.), Pam had a way of signaling things to others, practically getting them to do whatever she wants.

* * *

"Did Pam say she was an expert joker?" Jim asked the cameras in a quick interview. Mumbling came from behind the camera and Jim nodded at every word. "Oh, she says I taught her nothing (Jim chortled lightly.), well that's what she'd like you to think. If it weren't for me, Pam probably would have been a goody goody.

"Nah, I'll give her some credit, she's an amazing girl," Jim always enjoyed in playfully teasing Pam and had to have been snapped back into reality after drifting off into Pamland. Jim shook his head and jumped to the topic at hand. "Oh, and about that "being able to manipulate people", yeah, she just got lucky (ending with a charming, half smile)."

* * *

"Great!" Michael grinned from ear to ear and pushed Pam aside. "I can't wait for this birthday to commence in T-10 seconds! 10, 9, 8, 7-"

"Michael, you aren't really going to count down all the way, are you?" Pam dropped in, but Michael ignored her completely.

"6, 5, 4, 3, 2," with every passing number, the employees pretended to be driven with excitement (although, Andy was dancing energetically in his seat because that's who he is.) and giggling. "1! fwoooshh (he motioned like a rocket)! Alright, let's get down to business!"

Pam was caught by surprise by everyone's playing enthusiasm and felt an immense feeling of joy get the better of her, "okay then. This mission will last all day, so try not to set Michael off so his genius can blossom, ask around, and don't always pick up the phone when someone calls."

Just then, the receptionist phone emanated with rings and Erin immediately raced to her desk. "No, Erin, don't!" Pam called after her and Erin stopped just behind her desk with her hand quivering over the phone.

"This might be an important call," Erin tried to reason calmly, but Pam's index finger was still out.

"No, it's probably not, just-"

"But, what if it's like Michael's mom calling to tell him she's dying?"

Pam gulped down saliva dribbling from her lips after natural stress was taking over. _I swear, sometimes Erin can make things so difficult on purpose. _"I promise you, it's not, and if it is, they'll call you back," Pam reassured heavily.

"Not if they're dead," Erin pressed on, still keeping a calm composure.

It was too late, though, as the phone's ring dropped dead silent and a tiny frown came over Erin's lips. Pam frowned in somewhat sympathy and gestured Erin to come back, "it's alright, sometimes you have to learn that it's okay to not accept every call."

Silence laced its way back into the inclosed office and Michael shook his head as if he were just exposed to intense light, "okay, that was a little weird and over dramatic, but anyway, you all know the drill, find out who and report back to me and we can all celebrate!"

"Yeah!" they all cheered back as if the previous was nothing and Michael smiled like a celebrity. Suddenly, his face flickered with an idea and Michael sprang into the conference room, springing right back with bags of confetti and handing one off to Erin as she followed his lead and they both skipped around the office. Confetti was sent to the sky with every skip and with every prance, honest smiles were beginning to spread on the faces of those who actually care about their new mission. Pam watched carefully as this all unfolded and found herself hopping up and down. _Hmm... the joy must be really getting to me, I feel good, _she thought normally with her eyes examining her feet. Pam stared back up just as Michael and Erin returned to the conference door, huddling inside with one last dose of colorful confetti behind them to everyone else. Pam bore a grin, _yeah, maybe this will be a good day._

* * *

_And that's that for this chapter, hope you read it and like it. Sorry if it seems very repetitive to the previous chapter, I felt it was, but I was just trying to get these first two out of the way to get to the end (I just really have that part planned out). Yeah, so Pam has caused a stir in these worker's thoughts, just wait and see how this little event will turn out. Please don't forget to review and maybe even favorite while you're at it, you know, if you really want to._


	3. Playing the Guessing Game

_Hello once again audience... er... readers! I'm very upbeat that you decided to join me in another chapter of this intriguing, but assuring up and coming story for the popular, hit T.V. show: The Office_. _By this point, things are starting to heat up and get better, believe me._ **Disclaimer: You should already know by now what I'm about to say, but if you are new here, there are two things I must put out: 1, please start on chapter one so you can catch the gist, and 2, The Office is not my property... but that would be awesome.**

* * *

Michael's Dundy Day

"Like this?" Erin asked breathlessly as her body and arms stretched far to the left, holding the birthday banner tightly to the wall.

Michael squinted his eyes almost to the point of being completely blind, and eventually he cocked his head to the side, "no, more to the right."

She nodded her head and leaned back, sliding the banner over until her spine ached.

Michael turned his head to the other side and puffed out his lips, then, he lifted a finger, "no wait, it was better on the left, put it back."

Since irritation isn't a hue in Erin's emotion wheel, she bared her teeth in a grin and gently transitioned it back.

"Aww, perfect!" Michael cheered and helped Erin down from the tall chair she stood on. He directed her and himself to the middle of the room and took a moment to see what they've done so far. Balloons were hanging lazily on the walls, dotted around the room here and there. Atop the neat, white table cloth were various bowls of chips and stacks of red, plastic cups. Right in the middle was an empty spot where the birthday cake would be placed... as soon as they discover the birthday person's name. Michael suddenly groaned and hunched his back.

"What's wrong?" Erin wondered in concern. She certainly hoped Michael wasn't experiencing early signs of scoliosis, if boys could get it anyway.

"Nothing, the place looks great, but it isn't complete," he droned on until he clenched his eyes shut and bit his lip.

Erin didn't really know how to comfort Michael, he's supposed to be the father, so how does the child help the parent. Erin lifted her eyes from staring down at her feet and rubbed Michael's shoulder gently. "Don't be sad Michael, everyone's trying their hardest and we'll have the best birthday party ever!" she attempted, but found that she was really only bubbling herself up.

"Yeah, but time is running out and I need to order a cake before pastry stores close," he explained, making the situation harder than it needed to be.

Erin clapped her hands together, rejuvenating the excitement in the room, "hey, me and the gang are on it!"

Michael reciprocated her encouraging smile and started going through some of the birthday supplies again. Erin watched attentively before stepping out and turning to the office goers. Although they were sitting at their desks, none of them were actually participating in work and had resorted to their own typical ideas of play. That didn't faze Erin, so she smiled, which led to her getting bubbly until those bubbles spilled out, "any news on whose birthday it is yet?"

"Um, no, not yet," the jumbled and dull answer came out, only to drop dead at Erin's feet and her co-workers quickly lost interest.

"Come on guys, for starters, we need to keep the energy alive!" she giggled, her feet beginning to hop. Most of them finally looked over, besides Jim, who couldn't break his concentration over his heated game of Tetris. "Second of all, the end of the day is coming, so we really need to get those ideas in."

"Don't worry, we're on it," they said in almost a drawl unison and Erin being ignorant as she is, took that as enough and spun back to the door before the camera crew nudged her on the shoulder for a word.

* * *

"I really don't have a clue who it is, but I'm still excited nonetheless!" Erin enthused with a beam. All of a sudden, her face dropped and the mood set serious. "I mean, I'm upset that Michael is so focused on this, but I'm sure in the end, we'll have a 'dundy' party."

The camera's had a mixture of questioning looks and worried expressions at her last words, so Erin waved her hands in a circulatory motion and explained, "oh, that was a phrase created by Michael to differentiate the meaning of dandy by injecting our building name into it... hey, that sounded very smart!"

* * *

"I'm still not too keen on Michael's decision," Pam revealed normally. Having had enough with Erin, the cameras bluntly requested her to leave, and since they were already propped for interviews, viewing the opinions of others seemed logical (and easy). Pam overlapped her arms over her chest and said, "I don't really know. There's a part of me that says, hey, you know what, today is going to be a groovy day, but then there's another part of me that's like, Pamela, don't believe in Michael, bad things are in store for today."

The cameras slightly furrowed their brows at the same time their lips dropped. That didn't get them anywhere. Pam could see this in their lenses and opened her mouth, "well, at least that's what my fortune cookie said today after I had to order Chinese food by myself... without Jim."

* * *

Speaking of which, Jim was forcefully planted to the interviewer seat and the cameras' jaws dropped horrifically. Jim was so battered up. His collar wrinkled open, sending creases down his faded sky blue shirt and hanging over his belt. His hands were curved intensely and even before the talk started, he repeatedly wiggled his fingers through his thick hair, blinking his blood-shot, almost brainwashed eyes.

"Hey, I'm fine," he suddenly said as if they asked. "I've just been playing so many computer games, using the free time I have wisely, since Sabre blocked Youtube and all that jazz."

Although he claims this, the cameras weren't so sure, but shook it off and proceed by swinging the main camera out.

"Right, Michael's mystery birthday... that's still going on? I was sure a few days would have passed by."

The cameras were slow to swallow and twisted their lenses in more focus. Jim arched in eyebrow, seemingly sane, but then his arms flung around and he lashes out. "Are you freaking kidding me! Being on that computer, days felt like they've gone by. What is it even now? Is it day, or is it night?"

The screen was shaking erratically and the mood was heavily impacted with fear. Seeing this, Jim widened his eyes and eased back, peace starting to come over him and eventually, he managed his half smirk to surface on his lips.

"Sorry guys," he muttered, breathing calmly with his head tilted back. Very gradually, Jim sat up straight and looked the cameras dead in the lenses. "I don't know for sure, but I think those games have been brainwashing me or something." He rubbed at his eyes, which were starting to fade back to white and yawned brusquely. "So, about that party... yeah, I don't know who it is."

The cameras' lids slipped over the top half of their lenses and they drooped expressionlessly. Perfect.

* * *

"Awesome! I was waiting for you guys to call me!" Andy gushed as he hopped into the seat and couldn't break his grin.

The cameras nodded jerkily and pushed their lenses forward to get this over with.

"Um, no I don't know whose birthday it is, but being the intelligent and sneaky man that I am, I will get to the bottom of this case," he insisted firmly and folded his arms, "I will be the silent shadow, the fly on the wall, or even better, I'll persuade the living crap out of these people, 'cause Andy Bernard doesn't fail!"

Cameras puffed out what would be their lips and exchanged an almost satisfied look. This is the best and or most improved news they've gotten so far from the interviewees. They bobbed their heads, posing a curious question.

Andy leaned forward, puckering his lips and fiddling with his fingers, then suddenly he fell back to his chair and stuttered wordlessly, "oop, no, it's not my birthday... you should know that since you all were there."

The cameras became evidently stumped and Andy balled a light fist, playing it against the handles of the chair, "you guys filmed it and it aired on NBC... it got like, tons of views."

Still, the cameras had no idea what he was talking about and scratched their tops. Andy squirmed rather aggressively on the spot and sporadically brought his closed fingers to his grinding teeth, "ugh, okay guys, you were there, I wouldn't make this up. Dan, you were there! Ricky, an-and, B.J., dude you were so there. (the cameras bit their 'lips' and rubbed their rubber necks. This was uncomfortable, and becoming progressively terrifying.) Come on!"

* * *

The cameras were shaking rapidly at Andy's aggravation and hurriedly dismissed him, hollering for another worker and plopping back down on a stand, taking an immense breather.

Kevin was fueled with excitement and M&M's when called, so he jumped from his chair and made his way over. Fortunately for the cameras' 'lungs', Kevin wasn't much of a 'runner' let alone a 'walker', so they had just enough time to refresh and relax. Just then, Oscar Martinez (yeah, that smart guy.), passed by the door frame, making an abrupt stop and looking over at the approaching Kevin.

He groaned audible and swiveled to the cameras, steadying himself by gripping the brim of the door, "you guys seriously need to do this (the cameras gave him an innocent and somewhat clueless shrug)? It's just an idiotic waste of time. Seriamente!"

No need for an argument, since Oscar rolled his eyes with emphasis on the roll and stomped off to the annex. The cameras didn't really care what one person thought and delivered a warm smile when Kevin waddled to the seat (regrettably squirming his butt in the view of the camera.) and settled down.

"Hi," he greeted deeply, quickly crushing the atmosphere with awkwardness.

The camera shook a reflex and simply started off by asking him about his day.

"It's been good," was his answer, but then a sudden grin stretched from ear to ear and chuckling followed after. Slightly creeped out, but also interested, the cameras asked him to say what was on his mind. Really? "I'm just really excited for the birthday cake to arrive... I can't wait!"

* * *

The previous interview was definitely a spark to the mind, so they excused Kevin out (partially because things were turning extremely awkward. The cameras weren't sure, but they think Kevin was imagining them as slabs of fresh meat *shudder*.) and briefly put the questions on hold. Could Kevin be the one with the birthday party? Even knowing the fact of how much he adores cake, his undeniable happiness just seemed for more than just food, this time. The cameras all gave one another a look to decide to go a little bit more on and called for the next person.

Instantly, a squeal pierced their sensitive 'ears' and they massaged their accumulating heat while Kelly skipped in, crossing her legs and beaming when she sat down. Just as they prepped to speak, Kelly squealed again and spoke on her own term, "oh my gosh, you guys, I wasn't even sure if you were going to call me, since I'm harder to find stuck in that stuffy annex."

The cameras shrugged mildly and lifted a hand for a question when Kelly piped up again, "I'm so excited for the birthday, I mean, I know I didn't really show it earlier, but now that I know it's a mystery and that there's a prize, I'm so stoked and eager! Haha!"

"Mhm," the camera murmured and looked at one another, hoping to finally ask an official question, but then Kelly covered her twitching smile and giggled (rather adorably).

"Hey, you want to know a secret?" the cameras' lenses blinked like a flash and twisted closer in focus. Kelly smiled, baring her teeth and kneaded her palms to her knees. "I know whose the birthday person."

Almost instantaneously, the cameras shot up straight, shooting past Kelly's small head and quivering with excitement. "Yeah, right," Kelly laughed, pleased with their reaction. All questions of sanity were thrown out the window and the cameras urged on closely to her for more info. As quickly as she bubbled up in secrets, Kelly bent back, nervousness and fear plastered on her dark-toned face. "Hey, shove off! If you guys are going to be so nosy about it, then you can just screw it!"

Passing up a clear opportunity like this would be the largest mark of stupidity on a reporter's report card, so they slung themselves back and rotated their lenses in what should be pleading eyes.

However, Kelly was being particularly 'bossy' today and crossed her arms tightly over her chest, "no, you can forget it now... but since we are here, let's talk about presents we can buy for a perf birthday party!"

The cameras slumped and dropped their lids mid-way.

* * *

"Pfft, you were talking to Kelly, big mistake, you should have gone to me first," said Dwight, who was also acting up. Kicking Kelly out seemed like a good idea, but now they wonder if they shouldn't even bother with Dwight. He crunched his knuckles like a stone and kept a glare on the cameras, "Normally I wouldn't care about this kind of stuff, but if it means reward, then I'm in. Even that, though, doesn't impress me."

The cameras, now feeling a little bored and hopeless, allowed Dwight to go on, which landed them in their biggest mistake.

"This mystery is a lame attempt at keeping a birthday secret. After scanning all the office workers, I would be able to tell whose birthday it is as well as what age they're turning. Now, if you want a really mind manipulating party, then you would have one like mine on my 5th birthday. (He transitioned into a pose saying, "this is how the story goes".) After indulging myself in "how fast a Schrute can eat the cake" contest, I received a letter which I had perceived it to be a flimsy birthday card, but no, I was wrong. Inside was a very convoluted, if not sneakily meshed together, map reading that if I follow it correctly, and not foolishly, I would find my dad. I went for the prize, having sacrificed my presents and actual tender skin when wading my way through a needle stack to find a string of hay. The maze was difficult and energy sucking, but I neared the end of the map when something truly mind twisting happened!"

That was it, the cameras had enough! They had no intentions of discovering what he sought (because by Dwight's murky tone, they had a compelling feeling it wasn't his father.) and pushed him out with fake grins aching on their features. The cameras laid back, a long, lingering sigh escaping their power source and they had permission to reload before watching the workers take the matter in their own hands. Willingly.

* * *

Jim trailed in the break room area, yawning behind his hand and taking a questioning seat besides Pam. "Hey, why don't you have your lunch? We were going to eat together?"

"Oh, I already ate, because you were to busy with your precious Bejeweled," she answered back, actually owning a tone of distance as she traced the rim of her coffee cup. Jim widened his eyes and shook his head, instinctively taking Pam's balled hand.

"Sorry, and if you're wondering if I'm addicted, I'm not. I'm just having fun," Jim replied, looking pale and somewhat drifting in and out of sleep. Suddenly, after glimpsing a flashing smile in response, Jim cupped her chin and whispered closely to her coffee stained lips, "why don't you and I have a little fun right now?"

Pam blushed wildly, but not because of Jim's comment. "Whoa, Tuna! You'd do that here!" Andy cat called, slightly jealous to not have something like that in his life.

Jim's eyes ripped open. "Jimmy, do you mind doing it in the middle? I've got to see this," Creed requested, smacking his lips and punching what would be numbers on a phone to his banana.

Jim frantically looked around, having had no idea of practically everyone in the office cluttered up in the break room. He loved Pam, but those sexual feelings are exchanged between the two exclusively. Not even the price of all the computer games in the world could break his mind set. Jim crossed his hands nervously and cleared his throat. This time, no thoughts of games should surface into his thoughts, "so, what are we all talking about today?"

"Actually nothing," Stanley answered so dully, his eyes dropping so much that they made him look half asleep.

"Well, we should be talking about the party," Erin squeezed in and Andy pointed a finger at her in agreement.

"The party?" A voice from the doorway popped up and Jim jumped dangerously, but regained his composure just after. Michael leaned against the open door frame, swishing his mug, "you guys are talking about the party?"

Everyone looked half tense, half 'oh-no-we-have-to-talk', so they shrugged sheepishly, "ugh... yeahhhhhh."

"Oh great!" Michael jogged over to the vending machine not saying a word while his coins popped into the slot and his bag of chips dropped to the ground with a soft, crumpled thud. He squeezed himself in the middle of the tables, in between Phyllis and Oscar and the curiosity rolled, "so any guesses?"

"Um, well I don't really know who it is yet, I'm still pretty new, or at least I like to think I am," Erin started out, but that was totally useless.

They think by now, it is pretty assumable that no one in the office really knows, but they supposed it wouldn't hurt to throw out motivation and guesses. "Don't worry sir, I'm on the case!" Andy assured and scanned the room.

Dwight stood up fiercely, "hey, no, I'm in charge of this birthday mystery! I'll find the culprit and give this case justice."

"Dwight, this isn't a crime, you need to calm down. Anyone else!" Michael rushed.

Jim's eyes dashed from every head in the room. He needed to redeem himself for the embarrassment, or at least erase it from their minds and decided to take charge of this. "Well, most of the people in this room have already heard this news, and they haven't said anything," Jim rehearsed, sounding normal and not high-like, "maybe it's someone from the annex or the department guys."

"Like who?" Eyes looked around to see who was not present.

"All the guys in the department for starters," Phyllis commented and Michael nodded his head like it was obvious. The others didn't think he really did have that in mind as he bellowed out to Darryl, asking him to talk to the boys.

"Yes sir!" Darryl called back and zipped out with a thumbs up. He jogged all the way out of the building, far past the workers and ran to his car, smiling at the car's beep. He did a 360 when he found out the cameras followed, but continued climbing into his car and rolling down the window when he was set. "What? I'm on it, I swear," he said, pushing on his shades. "I'm just going to get some coffee at Starbucks and be back by the end of the day," and with that, he drove off, cheering heavily. The cameras rolled their lenses and sprinted back up the steps (no time for elevator.), managing to not miss a thing back in the break room.

"You know it could also be Toby," Pam brought up, but the rest of her sentence was getting blocked out with Michael's moans of repugnance, "you know how he would prefer to keep that under wraps due... to... yoooo..."

"Ew, yuck, yuck! No Pam!" He broke out in another set of appalled driven convulsions and eventually had his 'fun', "don't even joke about that, move on."

"Um, maybe Gabe, I kind of forgot when his birthday is, so..." Erin offered quietly.

"What, Gabe's still here?" Michael responded negatively and even Erin looked irritated.

"It's possible, Michael," Pam told him.

Creed raised a bent hand, but it's not like anyone was looking anyway, "it's my mexican cousin, Juanito's birthday today."

At first, Michael was stone quiet, as were the others, but injected with unsettlement, but then he turned back in his seat, "that effects me how, Creed? (Creed shrugged innocently, but only creepy vibes came from that bony man.) Gosh, you're so weird some times."

"Michael just stop before you hurt yourself," Oscar said coldly. The others weren't sure. They should really give him a chance, this could be a life changing experience or a thrill of the life time... or he may be right.

Michael bounced up from his seat, slightly twitching with irk, "come on guys! You got to help the boss out! Throw me a freakin' bone here, it's someones birthday and you've got to take it seriously!"

"We're on it!" Seriously, it's like the flood of responses wouldn't stop for that day and everyone shot up from their seat, talking pretty much 'blah' to one another. It was even worse for some, like Dwight and Andy who were scaling up the tables, trying to weasel out the information from people.

Michael started to vibrate dangerously and his voice rose into a booming echo and everyone began to calm down, "please you guys, just try to get it done with out a lot of chatter and someone please help me, Erin."

Michael stomped out of the break room (though he didn't truly mean to.) unopened chips crushed in his hand and Erin gasped and jogged behind him to the conference room. All the others shot glances and gradually emptied out the room.

Exhaling out another yawn, a sassy idea popped into Jim's brain and he slyly turned to Pam, sliding her cup aside, "hey, it's not your birthday, is it?"

Pam chuckled instinctively, "Jim, quit joking."

"No, I'm being serious... is it your birthday?" With every word rising in his chest, Jim wore a serious face and even managed to produce tiny beads of sweat.

Pam batted her eyelids, taking in a curl of her light brown hair, "no Jim, you know when it would be my birthday, you would have celebrated it."

"Really, because I am drawing a blank, I honestly don't know when's your birthday," Jim was a pretty natural actor, so he was really getting at Pam.

Pam's eyes were wider than Jim has ever seen and he almost cracked, "March 25th, Jim, come on."

Jim bit his lip and glanced up in fake thought, "um, of what year?"

Now Pam could see the joking around and she broke into a smirk that burst into a laugh and she slapped his arm, not regretting the pain she inflicted. Jim chuckled right back, looking away from Pam to whimper in pain and spinning right back with a cheerful smile. Pam then stood up and took a sip of her coffee, "just get back to your silly computer games."

Jim signed off with a firm hand gesture from the forehead and she walked away. Jim was a little lost in thought, all for what has been happening that day. He didn't really get to come up with a conclusion, cause just then, Creed spoke up.

"Hey, you wanna' play an illegal game I downloaded?"

Jim stared at him weirdly, but had to ask, "how? Sabre wouldn't let you do that."

"Ah, I convinced that little numb skull girl, Gabe, that I was going to die soon, so it shouldn't really matter for me," was his reply, and he took a saucy slurp from his can of red beans.

The feeling to describe the moment just wasn't there, that's why it made Jim shiver violently from it and he slowly backed away to a friendly game of Frogger.

* * *

_Ugh, finally got done with this chapter. This one was a pain, especially since I have school now and that really consumed my time. Not only that, but boy was I struck with peeking tears when something horrible happened. There was an accident! Originally, in the section where Andy is getting interviewed, the text was a lot longer and I had no intentions of shortening it, but then, I accidentally clicked back on my computer without having the sense of saving and lost it all. I wanted to cry, because in my opinion, it was a pretty good entry. I knew though that I had to do it again, and even though it's shorter, it's (I guess.) good enough for me. _

_Now, I've been saying over and over that my last chapters were pretty much repeats, but this one is fortunately different. I mean, it sort of holds the same elements (cause really, I don't know what to do.) but it's still holding on pretty strong and getting a little bit better. Enough so this time you guys can **actually** review. Listen, I'm not trying to be pushy, but it kind of upsets me when I know you guys are reading this, but you just don't review on it. Please, for me, even a little, for me. :)_


	4. Cake and Run!

_First: Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry this took forever. School seriously was taking over and I had **major **writers block!*_

_Well hello there! What a pleasant surprise to see you here (haha, I don't know what I'm doing)! Anyway, here's the next chapter right here and let me just tell you right now, I have no idea if my story will be finished here or if there will be another chapter (in all honesty, I think it will finish here, but really, we'll just have to see). So please enjoy thoroughly while you can. _**Disclaimer: I don't own The Office, ya hear me FanFiction! Just saying, but if I did, I wouldn't mind dropping myself in the story at one point *wink, wink, hint, hint*.**

* * *

Michael's Dundy Day

"Alright, listen up you maggots!" Dwight hollered through the office, fists connected to his hips. "I am going to be inspecting you in order to get this birthday thing over with. No questions asked. No objections. To the ladies, to a circumstance I may just need to violate your intimate areas. I know how you woman think!"

The ladies were indeed revolted by this- the whole office was annoyed with this extreme- but to some, it wouldn't really matter if they knew exactly how to get around Dwight and avoid the situation completely. Angela flickered her eyebrows upward at this notion when Dwight approached the accountants' section of the Office.

"Alright people," he started off, whipping out a notepad and dotting the tip of his pencil to his tongue to write. "You're going to need to tell me your designated year of birth, month, day, and phase of the moon. (Oscar batted an irritated eyelash.) If by any chance you may know whose birthday it is, you must confess righthand or else things will get ugly. Kevin!"

Kevin jumped at the sound of his name and gulped. Without waiting for an answer (and giving an obvious eye roll.), Dwight proceeded with the question, "when's your birthday."

"Oh, um... I didn't expect the questions to roll out-"

"I just told you I was going to be asking you questions-"

"But if you need to know... my birthday is..." Dwight knew it shouldn't have surprised him, but it did when Kevin's brain turned off and he trailed away from the subject with a thick cascade of drool oozing from his lower lip. Dwight attempted to not twitch an eyebrow, but he was ready to curse when Kevin seemed to be mocking him when he started shoveling m&m's in his mouth, all while still sporting that ignoramus expression.

"You know what, you're too stupid to answer the question, so it's not you," he finally acted up and penciled down "idiot" under Kevin's name (secretly wishing to write something more diabolical for his nimrod facade). Dwight then sprinted away from Kevin's desk and stopped to a mild trot when coming to Angela. She lifted an intriguing eyebrow and swiveled her chair towards him, folding her hands over her lap and tugging a grin. "Hello Angela," he greeted, refraining from a smile. This was business, not flirting.

Angela's face flickered in the thing he was battling with dread the most. Flirtation... or she was just being a smart aleck. "You _should _know the date of my birth, Dwight... seeing what we've been through."

Dwight swallowed a thin strand of saliva, crunching his fist around his detective supplies and managed to keep an emotionless face. "I'm sorry, I've seemed to have forgotten," he replied monotonously.

Angela opened her mouth in what little dejection she produced and proceeded to tell him her birthday. As he wrote it all down (occasionally glancing back at her small figure.), Angela smoothed out her skirt, flipping her hair to the side and tried again. "Dwight, would you really ever think it was me?"

His eyes shot up, over his notepad and he processed the question speedily. He lowered the notepad away from his lips and smiled. A quivering set of teeth that formed awkwardly to want to say his inner most feelings. "Possibly. The quiet ones are usually overlooked, when in fact, they could very well robbed a bank and even murder a royal duchess."

Not the response she wanted, so Angela cocked her head to the side, biting her lip to stop herself from growing red in fury and turned back to her work. _Whatever... now let's see, I have to calculate compound interest... DANG IT DWIGHT!_

Dwight finally moved 90 degrees to meet Oscar's turn, but annoyance was buzzing around him like a hanging disease. Oscar pressed his dark fingers to his forehead and sighed exasperatedly, "I'm not doing this!"

Before the cameras could even take a breath, Dwight dug his bare hands into Oscar's collar and yanked him upward, having Oscar gasping and kicking in fear. "What the heck man?" Oscar cried and Dwight only furrowed his brows until his bluish-gray eyes hid under.

"Tell me the date, because this is only going to get worse!"

"You know I can report you for office abuse, right?" Oscar threatened and kicked his legs. Dwight merely scoffed.

"Please, I didn't actually attack you. Am I pressing a knife to your jugular area? No. Do I even have any weapons with me?" Dwight spat at him and he jerked his arm out. Suddenly, a collection of miniature knives flew out of his sleeve, actually piercing the carpeted floor and standing up right. Oscar's eyes grew wide in pure shock and Dwight swore under his breath, dropping Oscar back to his chair and scuffling to the weapons.

Dwight shoved them in his pockets carefully and swerved to the accountants, "you guys didn't see anything!" With that, he zipped into the kitchen (bypassing their terrified, but mostly disgusted looks.), flying by the small hallway and entering the annex with a blast of air.

Just as Dwight swung away from the office-goers, Andy poked his head around the corner, snickering mischievously as his opportunity became so wide open. "Alright, competition is gone, time to put my salesmen and persuading skills to the test," he explained to himself and the camera, bobbing his shoulders in every encouraging chuckle.

"What competition?" Andy hitched his shoulders, a large grunt escaping his lips and a creaking in his neck as he looked down at the bright-eyed, cheery red-head with the curiosity.

Andy rubbed his knuckles, knowing only one thing to do in a private situation as this. Andy smiled broadly until his cheeks ached, "hey Erin, I'm just doing some detective work, so you don't need to worry about it."

"Detective work? I thought Dwight was already doing that," she shot back aimlessly and Andy bobbed his head, acknowledging her as if she was a little child.

"Yes, but Dwight isn't as nearly as good as I am. I'm super sneaky and pretty good at weaseling my way through people's knowledge," Andy told her slowly and her eyes twinkled in fascination. Suddenly, Andy's longing words caught in his throat and he leaned back and massaged his knuckles. "Um, I don't suppose you'd like to help me, would you?"

Erin's grin twitched lightly and she brushed a lock of her auburn hair aside, "oh, I can't. Michael has entrusted me in helping him with the party and keeping him at a level head. (Andy's face was a seldom plain look and he jerked his head and strayed away.) Thanks anyway and good luck."

Quickly, she giggled and skipped back to the conference room and Andy was nearly lost in a daze, remembering only her bouncy attitude and her flowing, luscious locks. In the long run, that was a mistake as Jim bumped into him and snapped him back to reality.

"Whoa, hey Tuna," Andy mumbled and looked over at him, soaking in a long moment to realize Jim was swaying. "You should really watch where you're going."

"Whop, what? Oh, sorry Stanley..." Jim slurred back, unable to detach his curled hands from his blood-shot eyes.

Andy knitted his brows, "no, it's me, Tuna."

Jim attempted to widen his eyes, but blotchy marks of charred black flashed in his vision. He took the sayers word for it and yawned, "oh, sorry... so, any luck on whose the suspect?"

"Nope, but I'm definitely on it!" Andy scintillated with confidence, but with Jim's drifting gaze, his energy was sapped. "Hey, you okay? It seems like you've been playing so much you're loosing touch."

"NO I'M NOT, I'M JUST FINE!" His amplified voice startled Andy and Jim quickly muttered an apology and stumbled back to his desk. Pam curled a knowing hand on Jim's fist and he aggressively rummaged his hands through his hair. _I'm not addicted!_

Andy shook the distraction away, the impact of Dwight getting the lead leeching, and he sprinted full speed into the annex, just as Dwight was sneaking behind Kelly.

"Not so fast!" He blurted with his best detective impression. The two twisted their heads and Kelly released a shriek when seeing Dwight just behind her.

"Oh my gosh, why are you guys stalking me?!"

"I'm here to interrogate you," Dwight answered, shooting Andy a glare and jerking his shoulders, indicating the singing bafoon to back off. "Just me."

"Ew, why would I let you do that?" She spat back and Andy took this as an advantage.

"Exactly, why would someone like sweet Kelly talk to farmer boy, Dwight?" he nudged Dwight away and held out a protruding notebook with a readied pen, "now, just tell awesome Andy your birthday and who you think it may be."

"No, why would I tell you, either?" Andy twitched an eyebrow. Turns out Kelly naturally despises them both and their simple and sugary sweet tactics clearly wouldn't break through her stubborn exterior.

Dwight didn't seem to register that trick, though, so he forcefully pushed Andy aside and pushed his notebook to the bridge of her nose. "Just tell me you filthy Hindu or this will go on your permanent record, like your jail report."

Kelly was almost pushed to the brink of tears and she did the only thing she could think off. "Screw off you freaking beet eating creep!" She stomped on his toe while also slipping in a sharp kick to the shin (ramming in her high heel, no less.) and she hopped away from her working space as he doubled in grunting pain. "You guys can be real idiots sometimes!"

Andy stared in shock at this whole scene and waved his hands frantically in panic, "Kelly stop! Just tell us what you know and we won't bother you anymore!"

The rise and fall of her chest was swiftly exchanged with a fluttering in her heart and Kelly blushed and turned coy, "really? Um, well... he probably wouldn't want to admit it himself, but it's Ryan's birthday."

The two detectives' eyes glimmered with the lead and they excitedly thanked Kelly (though Dwight's feelings upon the violent act turned him sour.) and skipped out to meet Ryan.

* * *

"What?! Is Kelly going around telling people it's my birthday?" Ryan questioned rather peevishly and he clapped his hands together, taking large breaths. The cameras didn't even need to pose questions with his tone. He's clearly telling the truth. "It's not my birthday, that's like in sixth months. She's probably only saying that because she wants to be silly and cute, it's just-"

The cameras couldn't understand why Ryan was blowing up so much about this. It was just a silly mistake or a childish wish, so what's up. Is he secretly lying. He definitely isn't one to be going around, informing everyone of his birthday. Maybe Kelly is right.

"Screw this meeting, forget all about the birthday and please don't bother me!" were his last words and he steamed out of the conference room without the permission. Wow, he even acts like her some times.

* * *

"Erin... Erin... Erin," Michael's leg was fidgeting ferociously as he sat on a plastic chair in the corner of the party room, patently growing insane. He cracked his knuckles over a fist crumpling with chips and Michael was ready to blow up. "Erin. Erin. Erin, oh gah!"

Erin hastily ran over to Michael's side timidly, afraid he would strike her, "sorry, I was going through some other paperwork, then I was having a really stressful conversation with Kelly about this assault she had or something, and then-"

Michael shot up like a rocket to his feet, scattering the chip fragments on the carpeted floor, "Erin, I-I don't think I can take it any longer, I need to find out the name of the person. I'm going insane!"

Erin, seeing the blotchy redness and panic in his eyes, bowed her head in comprehension, "don't worry, I got Jim to compile a list of potential people, I'll go get him for you."

With that, Erin ran off to Jim, ignoring the startling reaction and objection to return to his game. She shoved Jim softly into the party room and slipped inside, to the side so their conversation would center to the two.

Michael nibbled at his thumb nail nervously, "do you have the list of people?"

"What?!" Jim snapped back, then retraced his steps and apologized, "sorry... yeah, I think I do."

Jim fiddled with his back pocket, having an immense feeling of winging-it and yawned when he had it in his hand. "Here," Jim handed over the slip, rubbing his eyes for both suggestive intuition, and the wishy-washy feeling coming over his muscles from playing the game the entire time.

Michael opened up the folded parchment and nearly swore aloud when he saw the articles on it. He cleared his throat and said in a leveled voice, "this is a list of the scores you got on all of the computer games you played."

"Oh, sorry," he blurted numbly and fumbled with taking back the parchment. He reached back into his pocket again as Michael gave him a striking stink eye and took the paper as soon as Jim extended it to him.

The paper was folded open, the fear and annoyance of seeing blank weaving in Michael's features. To his appeasing, the list had a few names that added some procession to the story. "Kevin, Ryan, Kelly, wow, I'm surprised you've got some," Michael enthused giddily while Jim displayed a weak grin (truthfully, Pam had made that list when Jim was so distracted from the games. Clearly, he owed her big time).

"Yup..." he croaked back, "you know it."

"Great, great, all we need to do now is- OH CRAP!" Michael leaped from his seat after examining the clock in the room. Jim and Erin snapped their necks as he hurried out the room, shoving the paper into his women pants' pocket. "The cake store is going to close soon and if we don't have a cake, then there's no party!"

"But Michael, you still don't know whose-," Erin protested softly, but Michael zipped by her.

"That's okay!" Michael left the party room with Jim and Erin jogging behind and Michael stopped to touch on the workers' attention one last minute. "Listen up everyone! I'm going to go to the bakery with the little options I have for the birthday party."

"But Michael-" they all piped up in an unusually squeaky voice.

He thrusted his arms out energetically, while his face showed otherwise, panting in panic, "I've got it in control, but just in case, Erin, do me a quick favor and officially go through the birthday documents and history."

"Wow, you didn't think about doing that before?" Jim murmured blandly in a low voice as Erin complied and scampered off to the receptionist desk.

Michael looked back at his workers when his mind flickered with things he needed in preparation. "Before I get going, I'm going to need some things and then I want a few of you to come help me," Michael looped his arm around Jim's suddenly, "Jimmy will be one of my guys!"

"I'll go, too," Pam insisted and walked up to Michael. She couldn't leave Jim in his transfixed state with Michael, who was going off his rocker.

"So will I!" Dwight declared and sprung to his manager. He twisted to the others with his arms folded, giving Andy a sly eye in particular, "I'm going to be the detective to crack the case."

No one else volunteered at that point and Michael slapped his hands together, "cool! We've got our dream team, now hold on, let me get my man purse and we'll get going."

Without a word, Michael ran out of the room and the volunteers shifted on their legs until he returned.

Erin typed away on the computer, in search of birthday files in Dunder Mifflin, when Andy decided to make a move in disguise of weaseling. He slipped before her desk and rested his arm on top. "Hey. I don't think I've interviewed you yet," he explained cooly. He tapped his fingers over the desk as Erin lifted her eyes sweetly under her redish bangs. "It doesn't happen to be your birthday today, does it?"

"No, I would've said something so Michael would be calm," she told him quickly, not noticing Andy's flicker of annoyance for her affections towards Michael. She intertwined her fingers together and giggled softly, "besides, I love birthday parties... you would remember if it was my birthday, though... right?"

Andy bent his head back, holding a neutral face, "'course I would... for my favorite girl!"

Erin cracked a side smile, but resumed to typing. Andy huffed a sigh, stretching out his arms further down the desk as Erin's display of feelings for him aren't showing in a loving way. Plus, he couldn't think of an excuse to say to keep talking. He was easily growing awkward and hopeless. "Um... so do you-"

"Come on guys, let's go!" Michael hollered when he returned and Andy slumped back to his seat while the participants dragged themselves behind Michael. They filed quickly out of the building, climbing into Michael's car and he snapped the ignition to life and drove off speedy quick.

The moment Michael swerved his car out to the empty streets, Pam had an unsettling feeling churning in her stomach. "Um, Michael, is everything all under control?" She asked him nervously.

Michael's knuckles whitened as he tightened his grip on the wheels and said nothing to her question.

Pam wandered her eyes around the others in the car. They didn't seem to be as nervous or aware of the risky driving Michael was doing and Pam shifted in her seat. She also looked out at the foggy covered windows. Small rain droplets slowly rolled down it. Everything was slowly turning astray. That once enlightening feeling that welled in her stubborn body had shriveled hollow and cold, leaving her completely apprehensive.

Michael hurriedly drove the car at his favorite pastry store, parking it abruptly and ordering the co-workers to exit to the building. They ruffled under his chaotic actions and followed him hesitantly into the building. The door swung open with a blast of air followed by a light tinging noise above and Michael marched up to the cashier guy.

"Excuse me!" He started off very loudly and the cashier man jumped.

Pam reacted in a break-neck speed and clutched Michael's arm to reel back his sanity, "Michael, is everything okay? I'm afraid you're starting to lose it with birthday panic."

"I'm fine Pam, why would you even ask that... silly head," Michael tapped her nose and turned back to the cashier manager.

Pam's face contorted in slight worry and she turned back to Dwight and Jim, staying clear of one another with distasteful expressions. "Are you guys beginning to get the feeling it's no longer a dundy day?" She asked them with a shaky voice, trying not to look behind at the quiet Michael.

"Of course not," Dwight replied, arrogantly, "it's never been a dundy day because there is no such word as "dundy". If you wanted a real accurate estimation of the day, I would say it's calm with rolling clouds, but looming with drizzle and gray skies."

Pam rolled her eyes. Suddenly, Jim dropped his gaze on her, his hands jittery, "hey, you don't suppose you've got a game on your phone do you?"

She took out her phone and stared down at the apps, "yeah, but you have a phone, too."

"Yeah, but I can't use it, I burned up the playing limits with our bill!"

Pam sighed exasperatedly while he flailed his arms. "Okay, fine, here-" she said levelly, then abruptly recoiled. "Wait... you went over our bill?!"

"Yeah thanks!" Jim snatched the phone from her and quickly opened a game of Angry Birds.

Dwight eyed Pam, disgusted with Jim's unhealthy, disheveled habit, "sad when you marry a man whose sights are only centered on mind-washing games."

Pam stared at him up and down, ready to protest- or to just comment- but then Michael raised his voice. In fact, he began shouting!

"WHAT?! YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CAKE FOR ME?!"

Pam -with Dwight just behind- skidded over to Michael, sensing the bad tension already. "Um, Michael, is everything okay?" She asked him shakily.

Michael glared back at Pam. "This meanie gentlemen refuses to give me some cake," Michael explained hotly, extending out his arm at the frustrated cashier sir.

"Look, you have to order ahead of time before you come and grab a cake," the cashier man explained himself dully, furrowing his eyes in a frown in Michael's direction.

"Um, um," Pam stuttered, looking back at the two glaring, furious men. "Can't you just make a teeny exception and let him buy a cake now."

"Look ma'ma, you can't-"

"Please! Its been a long day!"

The cashier guy bent back, appearing intimidated or rather uncomfortable with his costumers, but finally caving in to relieve the tension. "What would you like to order?"

Michael took a moment to sift through what he desired in his mind (inhaling out his thoughts loudly, though) and struck out his hands in a mildly excited action, "a big, fancy cake with flavors of all kind... um, probably layered really big, because, hey, bigger is neater."

"It's better," Jim corrected behind the haze of Pam's iPhone.

"Yeah I don't care," he jeered back.

Dwight suddenly stepped in before the cashier guy could breathe a word, "cancel that order. You don't know if this certain person likes the flavor or size he is suggesting."

Michael shot a glare of annoyance in Dwight's direction, so Pam intervened, "just get an ordinary cake, please."

The cashier lolled his head like a rad doll, penciling down their order in a sloppy scrawl of writing, "do you want anything written on it?"

Michael hesitated, as he still didn't know, "uhh, uh, well yeah, of course."

Pam eyed him nervously. She wasn't sure what direction Michael could go, being all high-strung and what not.

"Write..." Michael puffed out his lips in thought, staring down intently at the fine craftsmanship of the check-out desk.

After not being able to take this much longer, Dwight slapped his hands on the desk firmly, "just write 'happy birthday'. It's as simple as that."

"No! That's not special enough!" Michael protested back, eyes clamped shut like a child, "it needs to be something better, like, 'happy birthday, may all your wishes come true... ' uhh, umm, the name of the person..."

"It's indefinite!" Pam piped up loudly, shaking at the pounding rain outside the store.

"Ma'ma, you have to have a name on the birthday cake," The cashier man's voice was slowly rising, as Dwight could tell.

"Just don't put anything on it, we'll figure it out later!" Pam told the peeved off man and Michael spun on the balls of his feet to her.

"But Pam-"

"Take it and pay the man, Michael!"

Michael grunted nosily, then stood erect on the spot, shuddering. "Um, that's 20 dollars, sir," he heard the man's voice echo in his ear.

"Oh um, money, that's," he mumbled and Pam rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, pay him."

Michael clapped his hands together. "You know what, I've seem to have forgotten my wallet, so I'll just- no Pam, don't!" Pam had sighed exasperatedly and reached for the bulging wallet in his back pocket and shuffled through the contents.

Pam stopped as she got to the dollars, shocked blankly. She pulled a few out, "you carry play money in your wallet?"

"It's so people don't think I'm poor, okay!" Michael snapped back.

"But you are," Jim commented, tucking Pam's phone in his pocket. The heavy rain storm outside had started interfering with his internet connectivity.

Pam bit her lip, "um, okay, maybe I can pay for it or something-"

"So, man," they hadn't noticed as the cashier guy bent down and pulled out a large, chocolate square cake, "this is like the only one we have left."

Michael stared down at the lacy pink frosted words, his blood soon boiling: "Sorry I slept with your mom (She was no piece of cake, though ;) )."

Michael had burned his eyes on the vulgar lettering for an uncomfortable amount of time, building the scare-factor that no one would have anticipated due to Michael's gleefulness earlier. Michael clenched his fists and shook on the spot, everyone waiting to hear his thoughts and that's when he blew up.

"I'm not going to take this!" He blurted out loudly, snapping everyone's attention (even Jim's). Michael slammed his hands over the plastic case of the cake to the counter, his face steamed red. "Really, you think this is a joke? 'Sorry I slept with your mom?' is not funny for this moment! It is someone's important day at my work place and this is the delicious crap you give me?!"

The cashier guy practically had no emotion- as the drawl day had sapped him of energy -but did seem to cringe back. Michael was barking loudly, even overpowering the thundering weather outside and got to the point where he crawled on the counter top and Dwight wrung his arms around him.

"I've had it up to here man!" Michael motioned violently, attempting to crush his fingers in the man's throat, but could never reach him as Dwight yanked him back. Some how, Michael groped the inappropriate cake box and a wild twinkle flickered in his dilated eyes. He looked to the others, "let's go!"

The others stole confused and worried glances and the next thing they new, they were running after Michael as he was sprinting through the rain. "Michael! Michael!" They called out urgently, but the rain was roaring over their voices.

Michael hopped on one leg at a time, running faster and faster towards his car when suddenly, he slipped under the runny street and face planted to the ground. The pressure popped the cake lid open and Michael's face was sunk deep in chocolate frosting.

Pam, Dwight and Jim stopped before Michael. He wasn't moving, but he was alive. He was just ashamed. The three glanced at each other, not knowing what else to protest until they eventually picked Michael up - he held the soggy cake close, possibly to soak up his muffled sobbing - and drove back to the office.

* * *

"Hey Erin, I got it," Andy called to the receptionist and jogged over. He held out a bulky file between his fingers, but he didn't bare a smile. "I thoroughly sifted through the files I collected from the office goers, and... it's just not anyone's birthday."

Erin pouted, "um, well I did find the actual birthday documents for our office and I should be getting it..."

Suddenly, the door swung open but the entrance of the remaining employees was slow and painstaking. Everyone turned their eyes to Pam, Jim, and Dwight who were aiding Michael through the office, bits of frosting and cake clinging to his face and the actual cake held loosely in Pam's hands.

"Oh my goodness, Michael what happened?" Phyllis asked worriedly and Michael winced.

"Oh... nothing... we just had a run in with this cake guy who refused to cooperate so I stole the best/worst cake he had and accidentally smashed my face in it... in the rain," His voice was runny and shaky from the incident and his shoulders were locked to his neck.

Everyone in the office couldn't unglue their sights on the scene. This was one of the worst crises Michael has ever been wrapped in and they were all silent. Pam, Dwight, and Jim all looked Michael up and down for another time, feeling incredibly bad for him.

"So..." Michael dropped his hands to his side, a smile crooked on his messy features, "what's the news?"

Andy hesitated for a moment, not wanting to disappoint Michael further, but he had to answer, "I've gone over every single individual in this building, checking everything, and... it's no one's birthday here."

Michael's face was at first stoney, but then his jaw unhinged in an insane laugh, "why should I believe you? I entrusted all of this in Erin. Erin, what did you get?"

Erin bit her lip under Michael's buggy eyes and peered at the computer screen. It had a name! Erin responded, but timidly, "um, looks like it says here, um... Tony Gardner."

Everyone cocked their heads to the side. Michael furrowed his brows, the heat of anger already boiling, and he questioned, "who?"

"I don't know, it's just what it says-"

"Wait! Tony Gardner!" Andy snapped his fingers as he remembered aloud. "He was one of the employees from Stamford."

"Wait, that over weight guy who Michael embarrassed when he tried to haul him to his chair?" Dwight inquired and Andy nodded with a confident, "yes."

Some of the employees bobbed their head in comprehension, but no one fully took in the feelings Michael was getting as he realized he fired that employee years ago. Michael crunched his fists, the blood flow stopped. "WHAT?!" Everyone snapped their heads in his direction and Erin shrunk. "You mean to tell me I wasted my whole day-"

"Michael, please calm down," Pam ushered him nervously.

"NO! I spent **your** paychecks on loser birthday supplies, fought with a stupid cashier cake guy, and smashed my face in a cake that talked about making love to a mother!" Groans of disgust and pity were momentarily shared in the room and Michael sucked in his lips, feeling more aggravated, "and you guys didn't help me at all! This was very important to me and you didn't even care!"

They were all silent. He was, obviously right, but should they feel scolded? Pam lowered her lids sadly and tried to touch his shoulder in support, but Michael shook violently. Pam gasped. She could have sworn, but she would never believe, she saw Michael cry a little.

"I-I'm done with this, I-I quit," Michael rushed out of the room, hiding his face and blocking out protest, but there was no remarks. The whole room was silent and everyone was thrown in a damper. Dwight, Jim, and Pam felt the worst out of all of them (as they were closer to Michael.) and gloomily glimpsed at one another.

This certainly isn't a dundy day...

* * *

_Wheew, I finally finished the chapter! I apologize for taking possibly three months with this chapter. I had trouble building to the end of the chapter, but I finally got there. There will be one more chapter to this story and I will be done with Michael's Dundy Day and will very likely not write another Office Story until 2013. Well, I hoped you like this climatic and sort of dramatic section of the story (and sorry it's long. It's serious business, it had to be). Please, please read and review!_


	5. This is our Dundy Day

_Wow, I've finally come to the finale of my first Office fanfic. Things got pretty intense in the last chapter. Michael's "dundy day" isn't turning out so, and things are going horribly wrong for him as the day progress. He's really depressed now, so will his fellow co-workers comfort him and show him things can get better? Sorry this story took a real long time to finish. I was working heavily on other stories and homework and the last chapter didn't get much look, but I'm here now and that's all that matters. _**Disclaimer: I don't have ownership for The Office and I don't own the 'Happy Birthday' song... if I did I would have sang it to you and everything.**

* * *

Michael's Dundy Day

Michael was sitting just outside- in the parking lot, of course- of Dunder Mifflin. His legs were nestled to his chest and he stared down at the black, wet concrete, trying to ignore the miserable frost crystalizing over the puddles. He had bits of bread scattered in the palm of his hand, not even knowing why he bothered to tear it apart for the birds that most certainly flew south for the winter. He was just confused is all. He didn't understand. He's never had a more stronger gut feeling about such an event than of the one that was supposed to happen that day. He felt superb as he walked in the building, even more so when he learned it was someone's special birthday. He prepared everything and tried desperately to find the person, only to be stressed with the shortage of time and the hooligan dealing the cakes. As if his day wasn't hectic enough, rain poured like a large basin of water being tipped over and Michael was gunked up with cake, all for someone who didn't even work at the office anymore (and someone who wasn't particularly Michael's favorite). He just couldn't see why things went from so nice to terribly wrong. Why would things stack against him, to knock him down to misery? He didn't do anything wrong, he only wished for an awesome day.

Michael sighed, which stretched to a long grunt and he threw the bread crumbs to the icy floor. _I didn't even have to think freely or care if I wanted to. _He was angry with himself for believing anything could have been so wonderful, but could you blame him? He was hurt and flustered. He breathed through his nose heavily, his head squished to his hand and growing hollow from the quiet bitterness.

Michael didn't notice- or at least, believed to be imagined out of pain- the noise of light high-heels clicking down the concrete road suddenly, over to him. "Michael," it was Pam's voice, a honey-sweet tone she carried for him as she slowed her pace to sit down beside him. She didn't speak for a moment when he didn't respond, and then curled her hand over his knee and tried again, "Michael, are you okay?"

"No Pam, I'm not," he replied with a strained sniffle. He shifted in his seat, dropping his hand to carry the dead weight in his head. "Things went for a terrible turn for the worst... everything started out so dundy and bright, and then stress went with the rest of the day and it turned out my strong feeling was nothing but a... j-joke."

He jerked his hands to his face, trying to suppress oncoming tears and Pam frowned sadly. She trailed her palm to his back and rubbed it gingerly. "Don't be upset Michael. Sometimes, we get this feeling as humans that something of fortune may turn up, but there are challenges given to us to knock us down. When that happens, it doesn't matter how it was done. What matters is how we can recover and make it better."

"Pam, quit telling me logical stuff, you know I won't understand!" Michael screeched back through breaking breathing from his small shower of tears.

Pam built her lip to refrain from insulting and continued to rub his back. She looked back at the office doors wordlessly, smiling at the sight. "What I mean is, Michael, just because this day didn't turn out as you expected, doesn't mean you have to suffer and think it won't be better."

Michael still pressed his palms to his forehead until his darkened vision blurred, and he was still confused with her sentence until he noticed her hand stray away from his back. "Pam, what-" he turned around slowly when he noticed her looking beyond, and his jaw slowly dropped. All of his employees were gathered together feet away from the two, smiles stretching over their features. Jim lead the whole gang by being at the front, holding something neat and conspicuous, but also strangely flavorful.

"We can still celebrate a birthday, if you want," Jim told him softly, sticking out the plain piece of cake that Michael recognized when it came closer.

He was a bit speechless, so he rose to his feet, almost toppling over the dead flow of blood in his legs and the shock of the scene. He was literally stunned and couldn't think of what to say, just feeling wonderful warmth from the faces of the ones who doubted him, only to soon turn to pity for the fellow.

Finally, after gazing at the cake, words were beginning to return to him, "b-but it's not anyone's birthday..."

Jim simply shrugged. "Well, then it can be a cake for anything you want. Like 'world's best boss' cake, because you deserve it," the other employees nodded their head in small enthusiasm to keep the gentle spirit, and Michael's eyes flew to each and every one of their heads.

"Wow... then... let's do it!..." His voice was still sadly weak, but the hop in his step and the smile on his face motivated them all to return to the office doors, the same ones Michael stepped in earlier that day with his head high.

* * *

"This is actually fun!" Michael exclaimed over the party music to anyone who cared to listen (which, was all the workers who pitied him). They were all jamming and dancing the best they could, cooped up in the conference room and completely ignoring calls for order and memos to check (although some had to be restrained at times. Dwight).

The cameras were a bit stunned by the spontaneous decision to party. They even recalled charging in the parking lot, filming the moping Michael from a distance. They turn around for a second and then suddenly find everyone missing, partying upstairs and not bothering to usher the cameras from the chilling cold. The cameras zipped up to the scene and took it all in, after realizing the whole thing was to cheer Michael up (ehh, they felt the guy deserved the break rather than batter him with complaints).

All the co-workers mixed and mingled (not knowing and never really noticing the cameras observing them.) with the left over snacks scattered over the plain white table, actually enjoying themselves. Overall, their excitement and encompassing joy had certainly arose from Michael's improving feeling. They really did feel that this was the best for him.

"Alright, time for cake!" Pam projected over the cheery workers and Michael spun on his heels with a wide grin aching over his features.

At first, he felt negative because of the previous cake out come, but then she wheeled the large, white-frosted cake in on a thin, decorated table. Michael flew his hands to his hair, gaping madly 'till his cheeks ached. "Whaaaa! Where'd you get this!?"

"Turns out they actually did have another piece of cake," Pam said- Actually, the cameras interviewed her later, getting this from her: "No, they were still being stubborn about the cake... so I threatened the kid into giving me a perfect cake." She smiled brightly afterward- giving a glance to the camera.

All the co-workers parted away to make a line trailing to the cake. Michael tentatively, but contently, strode over, rubbing his hands together and bending over the cake. He noticed it had fancy purple swirls of lettering on it and stopped. He simply read: "To our boss who will never give up on the people he cares about. To the best boss we could have ever asked for :)"

"Yup, just for you," Jim said quietly, but with bliss after presuming Michael had finished reading.

This was it. All the co-workers surrounded him with the love he knew deeply existed and was finally manifested through sweet writing. Michael's eyes softened with tears beading, and he sniffed softly and gazed up at everyone. "Wow... just wow," he exclaimed softly, presenting his hands gently towards them and trying to contain all his crying (to keep things more sentimental). "I did think I was going to have a spectacular day today. Everything about it just felt right. Birthday problems arose and everything came crashing down and I felt like I was beside myself in this coincidentally cold world."

Michael paused to take a moment to look at them, each and everyone of them, and nearly burst out crying as he cocked his shoulders and chuckled, "but I realize now that the special, happy feeling I had about today, was for this moment right here, right now." The employees smiled warmly at him, and Pam even rubbed and squished his shoulder comfortingly. Michael wiped his eyes casually, then spontaneously burst into a smile, "but you know, one thing that would make this better if dumb Toby would be kicked out."

Everyone immediately snapped their heads in Toby's direction. He shuffled in disgust at the cruel reality, and without waiting for scolding, he waved his hands lazily and "kicked" himself out.

As soon as he trudged back into the anex, the rest of the workers chanted happily, "Dundy Day". They raised their drinks, laughed with their fond friends, and Michael returned a smile beamed by Pam and Erin. From all of them really. Everyone was happy.

* * *

Michael bit his thumb nail for a long time, wrapped deeply in thought after the cameras had tapped him in and hoped for some final words. They allowed for his moment of silence and consideration (as that hardly ever happens). He opened his mouth a bit, then burst into a chuckle, almost looking hysterical.

"I-I'm sorry," he managed to say through light laughing. His eyes were a bit watery as he took another breath and he smiled. "I just... can't believe it.

"I mean, I know this whole day was, pretty much, pointless and I sent everyone in a wild goose chase," he came clean to the point and the cameras rolled their lenses to exchange a frame in sour agreement. "But I learned something from today... Well, for one thing, I learned that you really can expect what will happen in life, especially- if your stomach predicts it...

"More importantly, I learned the love my employees have for me," he paused for a moment, "I did know that most of them appreciated me and liked my company, but I'm not that much of an idiot... I can tell that a lot of my 'friends' don't respect me or have faith in me like they should. After today, though... I see now that they really do care. They want the best for me, even putting their jobs and themselves before everything. They sort of went to the ends of the day to help me achieve something that wasn't going to happen, let alone something that wasn't even of significance."

"It just goes to show that you really can't tell what will befall to you in life. Anything can happen, and sometimes, when you think something wonderful, something... dundy will happen, it could or not happen. However, in the end, there will always be a way to change the day, especially with your friends by your side and positivity on your shoulders. Over all, it was a dundy day... trademark," wrapped up all his emotions there and then and produced the warmest smile he could ever conjure.

The employees and the cameras definitely agreed, not even sugar-coating. This was a moment in life to think about, and Michael didn't think there could be any other moment to top his employees/friends loyalty.

* * *

_Yes! I finally finished this story! This was certainly an interesting story, as it started from nothing and sort of stayed that way the whole time. XD I apologize for stretching this story for so long, but it took time to think it out, overcome writers block, and make time from school._

_Yeah, this story isn't the best, but I couldn't leave it hanging. I feel happy for giving Michael an adventure to happiness, although we know he does get sad again when he has to leave and his workers/friends sort of can't bare for him to go._

_Yup, I hoped you enjoyed the ending. It was a little something. Hopefully, I'll be able to write another Office fanfic, being set more to the present. Most likely summer, so stay tuned!_

_~Amiel_


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